“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” ~Psalm 9:9
Since the February 1 coup, Myanmar’s military has issued many arrest warrants for activists and public figures who supported the National League for Democracy (NLD). Some of these protestors, after initially hiding in the homes of family and friends, covertly crossed the border into neighboring Thailand.
In Thailand, Myanmar’s dissidents must continue to hide. They fear getting arrested for their political affiliations, as well as their unauthorized entry into the country. On September 7, Thai police were directed to arrest people associated with Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) and raid places suspected of sheltering NUG members. One man told news agency Al Jazeera that, because of his undocumented status, “I feel very small — like I lost my identity.”
Although Thailand approved a national screening process in late 2019 to identify people in need of humanitarian protection, this process has yet to be implemented, leaving many refugees from Myanmar in limbo. Some of Myanmar’s NLD supporters are applying for humanitarian protection in a third country, but the odds are dismally low. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, less than 1 percent of global refugees of concern were resettled in 2020.
Prayer Requests
1. Pray that Thailand and other countries will provide legal status and protection for dissidents and other refugees from Myanmar.
2. Pray that Myanmar’s refugees will come to know Christ, and find both a refuge and a secure identity in Him.
